December 2, 2025 • 33 mins
Think game shows are pure chance and fair play? We pull the camera back on the spectacle to show how formats are engineered, contestants are cast, and “surprises” are carefully managed to deliver big TV moments. From The Price Is Right’s early days and Wheel of Fortune’s syndicated dominance to Press Your Luck’s infamous pattern exploit, we trace the real mechanics that turn randomness into ratings.
Prizes get a hard look too. That “lifetime supply” often shows up as a massive bulk shipment with expiration dates. Win a car and face taxes where you won, plus registration and costs back home—sometimes before you ever touch the prize. Home makeover shows reveal their own truth: surface-level fixes, tax hikes that price families out, and sets designed for lenses, not living. Even Big Brother’s house is a warehouse with a roofless, camera-friendly layout.
We’re not here to ruin the fun—just to watch smarter. Celebrate clever gameplay, iconic hosts, and formats that still deliver thrills, while recognizing the producer fingerprints that shape outcomes. Have you ever been on a game show, tried out, or sat in a “random” audience? We want your stories. Follow, share with a friend who loves trivia nights, and drop a review to help more curious listeners find us.
email: boomerandgenxer@gmail.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_04 (00:04):
Welcome everyone to today's show.
A boomer and a Gen Xer.
Walking to a bar coming to youfrom the Rabbit Hole Studio,
where you, as our listener, willexperience some wit and wisdom,
some smart assery, and a motherand a daughter questioning, are
we even related?
My name's Bobby Joy, and myco-host is my mom Jane.
(00:24):
And uh she's down there just agrinning because she's ready to
entertain you today.
SPEAKER_02 (00:29):
Well, no, it's because Dr.
Domain just automaticallypointed to me to do the intro,
and I'm like panicking.
It's like, wait a minute, I'mnot doing it.
Bobby's doing it.
SPEAKER_04 (00:40):
Well, I pay attention, so it helps.
SPEAKER_02 (00:42):
Aw, so how you feeling, Bobby?
I know you've been under theweather a little bit.
SPEAKER_04 (00:45):
Oh, just you know, battling migraines and it's
you're tired.
You're tired.
SPEAKER_02 (00:51):
Oh my goodness.
Here in Iowa, it is cold, butyou know what?
It's November.
It's not like we didn't see itcoming.
SPEAKER_04 (00:57):
Yeah, but you know, the lows are actually the lowest
it's been since March of thisyear.
So really, yeah.
Yeah.
So it's kind of it's like in the20s.
It's like you forget what coldweather feels like.
Oh yeah.
Even though you know it's comingevery year and then it just hits
you like a brick wall.
SPEAKER_02 (01:14):
But in Iowa, you know, we could have 80 degree
weather and then have a swing of20 below the next day.
Snow.
And so, you know, there's that.
But anyway, um, hey, guess what?
Some people's primarilyretirees, favorite pastime or
favorite shows are on TV.
SPEAKER_04 (01:36):
I was gonna say bingo when you said pastime.
SPEAKER_02 (01:38):
Well, that is Powerball.
SPEAKER_04 (01:40):
Powerball.
SPEAKER_02 (01:41):
Oh, yeah, that could be, but uh that's the the Farm
and News Report.
Oh no, but they do listen to alot of news, you know.
Uh no, game shows.
Game shows.
Did you know that there's anactual network for game shows?
SPEAKER_04 (02:00):
Yeah, the game show network.
Oh my goodness, and they showeverything like from like the
70s, 80s, 90s, all of it.
I know it's crazy.
SPEAKER_02 (02:09):
And you can search back on those old game shows,
and it's I mean, it's kind offunny to watch because you know,
these women with bouffanthairdo's and the guys with the
four-inch tie, you know,four-inch wide tie wearing
little heels, the guys wearingheels because they gotta look
bigger.
Yeah, or they wear platformshoes.
SPEAKER_04 (02:27):
Yeah, and let's not forget the serial killer on the
game show.
What game show was it?
Yeah, there was so that was theone.
Oh shoot, what's it?
The dating game.
Yeah, the dating game.
Yeah, he was contestant numberone.
SPEAKER_02 (02:38):
Yeah, how funny is that?
Yeah, so that was really weirdwhen that whole thing came out
and that documentary came out.
We found out, oh man, we werewatching this guy, and the cops
were looking for him.
There he is!
SPEAKER_01 (02:50):
I mean, there he is!
SPEAKER_02 (02:52):
I kind of remembered that show, really.
I mean, I kind of did.
So, um, guess what the oldestrunning game show is on TV?
That's still on today, yes.
Oh, uh I'm gonna give you a hinthere.
Is it your favorite one?
It began in 1956.
SPEAKER_04 (03:13):
Is it your favorite game show?
SPEAKER_02 (03:15):
No.
SPEAKER_04 (03:15):
Oh, so it's not press your luck.
SPEAKER_02 (03:17):
No.
SPEAKER_04 (03:18):
Press, I'm gonna press my luck, Elizabeth! So
1950s.
Um and 1950s.
SPEAKER_02 (03:25):
Yeah, it's the longest running syndicated game.
SPEAKER_04 (03:28):
Is it the one the pyramid?
Uh no.
SPEAKER_00 (03:31):
$20,000 pyramid.
SPEAKER_04 (03:32):
Yeah, that's what I was gonna say.
SPEAKER_00 (03:34):
Yeah, I think inflation brought up to$100,000.
SPEAKER_04 (03:36):
The longest running tac toe.
It's tic-tac-toe.
No.
SPEAKER_00 (03:40):
Oh.
Oh, it's uh um uh where theybring people in, they try and
guess who they are.
SPEAKER_04 (03:46):
No.
SPEAKER_00 (03:46):
Like I witnessed who they are.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (03:49):
Yeah, like I witness these fascination of you have to
guess which one's the true then.
Which one's the lie?
SPEAKER_00 (03:57):
Yeah, that's not oh, that's let's make a deal.
SPEAKER_02 (03:59):
Let's no, uh, what is that?
Wheel of fortune about truth.
SPEAKER_00 (04:02):
The dating game.
SPEAKER_02 (04:02):
Oh my gosh, the price is right.
Jeopardy.
So the price is right.
The price is right began in 1956and then it was revived with a
new format in 1972.
So that's kind of when peoplestarted watching it really more.
The longest-running syndicatedgame show in the US is Wheel of
Fortune.
(04:23):
And it premiered in 1975.
Isn't that wild?
So, do you remember?
So, apparently, the yeah, theprice is right in 1956 had a
host named Bill Cullen.
Huh.
I kind of remember that name.
Bill Cullen.
Could you imagine?
I wasn't born in 56.
That is even older than me.
SPEAKER_04 (04:42):
But but could you imagine like going back and
watching those and seeing the atthe prices on everything, and
you're just like blown away, awasher for$55 and it's brand
new.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (04:54):
I went to Mexico because of a game show.
SPEAKER_02 (04:57):
Oh, that's right.
The girlfriend that you weredating at the time, she won a
trip.
She was on what show?
Jeopardy?
SPEAKER_00 (05:03):
No, let's make a deal with Monty Hall.
SPEAKER_02 (05:05):
With Monty Hall.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (05:08):
She dressed up as a chef.
So she was working for thecollege and had something going
on in California.
And so just by chance she stoodin line to be in the audience.
And it's interesting, they put aspring on the seat.
You know, you see all thesepeople bouncing around.
Yes.
Yeah, they're they're they'rebouncy seats.
SPEAKER_01 (05:29):
Well, we're not.
SPEAKER_00 (05:31):
It's a show where they all dressed up.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And she she missed out on a car,but she got a trip to Mexico.
And she took you to Mexico,yeah.
I was already in Mexico at thetime, but yeah, she brought me.
SPEAKER_02 (05:42):
That's not much of a trip.
SPEAKER_00 (05:44):
It wasn't much of a trip.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (05:45):
I think somebody got screwed on that whole thing.
I think you did, yeah.
So that's what we're gonna talkabout today, but we're gonna
talk about some of the secretsthat uh are behind the game
shows.
And so uh, like I said, theprice is right originally
premiered in 1956.
And then do you remember who theactual uh host was up until
(06:07):
recently?
SPEAKER_04 (06:07):
Oh I know it's shoe carry now, but it was uh uh come
on.
SPEAKER_02 (06:13):
Oh, Dr.
Domain's got his hand up going.
SPEAKER_00 (06:16):
Go for it.
Bob Barker.
Bob Barker Spader, your dog orwhatever.
SPEAKER_02 (06:22):
Yeah, nude your pants.
That's right.
Yep, that's exactly right.
So, anyway, my as I mentionedearlier, my favorite is press
your luck.
No ammies.
SPEAKER_00 (06:35):
Now, when does that show start?
SPEAKER_02 (06:36):
Press your luck.
Yeah.
Oh, that's a good question.
SPEAKER_00 (06:39):
Don't cheat.
SPEAKER_02 (06:40):
I am gonna cheat.
SPEAKER_00 (06:41):
I don't know.
No, it started belt and Googlefoo.
SPEAKER_04 (06:47):
Well, there was something let me just use this
water to use AI to see when itcame up.
Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (06:54):
Okay, Bobby, I think uh let's see.
It was I'm gonna let you guysguess when 1980.
Oh, you're so close.
1983.
Oh.
1983.
It was on CBS Network, and itwas hosted by Peter Tomarkin.
SPEAKER_04 (07:11):
I almost said Peter Dinklage, but no, that's the
actor.
SPEAKER_02 (07:16):
That would have been entertaining.
So there was something thathappened on Press Your Luck uh
years ago.
Do you remember what that was?
Oh my goodness, come on.
SPEAKER_04 (07:26):
I really the only time I really dealt with Press
Your Luck was at the casinobecause they had the casino game
that was Press Your Luck.
But I do remember the nowhammies, no whammies, you know,
things like that.
SPEAKER_02 (07:36):
So what happened was go ahead, Dr.
Domain.
SPEAKER_00 (07:40):
Well, I don't know the gentleman's name, but he sat
and watched all the shows, andwhat he did was study the
pattern of the lights around theperimeter of the casino.
SPEAKER_04 (07:51):
That's what I did at the casino.
SPEAKER_00 (07:53):
Is that what you did?
SPEAKER_04 (07:54):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (07:54):
Oh, Jack.
They fixed that too.
So you got kicked out.
Yeah.
Well, they caught up with thisguy eventually.
And they because they they werelike, he didn't hit a single
way.
I mean, he brought I mean youhave to.
No, you're right.
SPEAKER_02 (08:07):
So it was Michael Larson, Michael Larson, he won
over$110,000.
And back then in 1984.
That's huge.
That's huge.
Yeah.
But he did it exactly the waythat you said is by memorizing
the board's patterns.
But that's not illegal.
Well, it's like card countries.
Yeah, he was just smarter.
Yeah.
But they they actually broughthim up on uh fraudulent
(08:30):
marketing scheme charges.
Oh, that's and tried to chargehim.
And uh, but he squandered all ofthe money that he got, and at
this kind of it wasn't really afailed scheme, but they called
it a failed scheme.
And he died of cancer in 1999.
SPEAKER_04 (08:46):
Wow.
Okay, Debbie Downer over there.
I know what really, I meanstats.
It shouldn't be illegal becauseyou're not doing you're not
rigging the game, you're notmessing with the outcome.
It's like card counting inVegas.
Is it frowned upon?
Yeah, but should it be illegal?
SPEAKER_02 (09:01):
No, because if you're smart enough to do it, to
figure it out.
Yeah.
Well, and like these game showsdon't do some backhanded stuff.
Oh, they do.
SPEAKER_04 (09:10):
Come on, it's just shit show, literally.
SPEAKER_02 (09:12):
Have you ever watched The Wheel of Fortune
where they go to spin it andthen it's like it's spinning
really, really fast, and thenstop.
Yep.
Yeah, yeah, you can't tell methat's not rigged.
Don't tell me that it's not.
SPEAKER_00 (09:24):
So what was the show that had um played Cranston?
He they bought all the lot, theyfigured it out.
They bought like thousands oflottery tickets and they won.
SPEAKER_02 (09:35):
Oh consistently.
No, that was just the lottery.
SPEAKER_00 (09:38):
That was based on yeah, lottery.
That was based on truth, right?
SPEAKER_02 (09:42):
Right, exactly.
So what happened was was theygot the town folk and everybody
involved, and they startedinvesting money and buying
lottery tickets because thisthis mouth mathematician figured
out how many chances there wereto win, and so started playing
the odds.
And I mean, they were makingbuttloads of money.
But um, Mike Larson was the onewho, you know, uh kind of
(10:05):
screwed up the whammy show, Iguess.
Uh, but that is my favoriteshow.
And then there was anothercontestant that was on Who Wants
to Be a Millionaire, and theycheated.
Guess how they cheated.
SPEAKER_04 (10:18):
Uh oh, by coughing.
SPEAKER_02 (10:24):
There is somebody in the audience coughing.
Yep, had a had somebody else inthe in the audience's wife,
Diana, and they were convictedof cheating on the UK version of
Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
SPEAKER_04 (10:37):
Which is the original version.
SPEAKER_02 (10:38):
I believe that is true.
That was in 2001.
And then there was a big scandalback in the 1950s in the US
about rigging several popularshows.
Contestants were secretly givenanswers by the producers to help
them win.
And you know, I don't know ifeverybody knows it, but if you
(10:59):
go on Jeopardy, you get thatinformation in advance.
It's just how many of those youcan memorize.
SPEAKER_04 (11:04):
Speaking of Jeopardy, did you know that
certain bets are forbidden onthe game of Jeopardy?
Like what?
Okay, so uh, so this is thefunny thing.
So certain bets, like numberbets, are forbidden because of
their association with whitesupremacy.
What?
Yeah, no, don't BS on that.
Yeah, like numbers.
(11:25):
Like what?
Like the whatever the whitesupremacy numbers are.
What are they?
Like four or four or somethinglike that, or God, hold on.
Give me a minute.
SPEAKER_03 (11:36):
Come on.
SPEAKER_04 (11:37):
Six seven.
Six seven, I swear.
SPEAKER_02 (11:43):
I had to throw that in there because my grandson,
who's a teenager, he he doesthat.
Six seven.
SPEAKER_04 (11:49):
Okay, so yeah, so apparently there's a couple of
them.
So references to sex, Nazis, orSatan.
So apparently you can't bet$666.
Well, that's Satan.
Well, okay, okay, uh,$69.
Can't do it.
You can't bet$69.
Cannot do it.
(12:10):
No, no.
Yeah.
Um, and you're making this up.
No.
So, and then like uh apparentlythe number 14 and 88 are
associated with the Nazis.
I gotta go back a little bit,but I know 88 is just because of
(12:31):
the SS, but yeah.
So um the white supremacist 14words slogan.
What?
Yeah, so they're forbidden.
And even Ken Jennings, you know,the big Jeopardy guy, he made a
joke about it um on his Twitterabout that they were forbidden.
Oh my gosh, I bet they came downhard on him.
(12:52):
I'm sure that that's why he'snot there anymore.
SPEAKER_00 (12:55):
But anyway, isn't he the host?
No, there's a woman there.
SPEAKER_02 (12:58):
No, there's a woman now.
Oh, yeah, I don't know who sheis, but yeah, you're right.
He's been on uh what's thatother game show?
I do like this one, uh, whereyou have to beat the the guy
that beat somebody up?
SPEAKER_00 (13:11):
Beat the monkey?
SPEAKER_02 (13:12):
No my goodness.
Oh my goodness.
There we go.
I'm not even gonna go into itbecause I can't remember the
name of it now.
SPEAKER_00 (13:20):
Have you seen some of those Japanese shows where
like a silhouette of somethinglike this wall coming towards
you, and you're gonna cancontort your body to fit
through?
SPEAKER_04 (13:29):
You have to shape it, yeah.
You have to make the shape inorder to fit through, otherwise,
you get knocked off and you geteliminated.
Japanese shows are wild.
But you know, you know, speakingof that, there are shows, and I
know these aren't likenecessarily game shows, but they
really are like master chef.
Yeah, the contestants actuallypractice their dishes.
SPEAKER_02 (13:52):
Yeah, no, they do, yeah.
Like you're given the dishesbeforehand.
Well, you know, we talked aboutthat.
It's like they show up and theygo, Okay, what's your secret
ingredient?
Oh, it's rutabega and you know,black turtle farts.
Black turtle farts.
I don't know.
They come up with some weirdstuff, and it's like, how would
(14:14):
they have that in the kitchen?
SPEAKER_04 (14:16):
You know, have you ever seen have you ever seen
that show Cash Cab?
Oh, yeah, yeah.
So that's that's that'scompletely set up.
SPEAKER_02 (14:26):
I was gonna say, I know they're not random people.
So this is making me crack upright now.
Hold on, hold on.
SPEAKER_00 (14:31):
How does that work though?
Because like they'll have like ashout-out, like they're going
through New York, right?
And like, oh, do you want toI'll do a shout out?
Well, do they stage all thepeople on the street and
everything?
SPEAKER_04 (14:43):
They stage everybody.
Wow.
Yeah, everything from thecontestant to the shout-outs to
the route that they take.
Like they have it allpre-planned.
Thanks.
So that way there's a lot ofpeople.
I mean, if you think about it,let's let's really think about
it.
New York, God love New York, youknow.
But you're not gonna be drivingthat fast in New York, first of
(15:03):
all, on a case.
And second of all, you're notgonna pick up some rando knowing
that you're carrying hundreds,maybe even thousands of dollars
in this cash cab that's lit uplike Christmas.
True.
I know what's in there.
True.
What if they get robbed?
Yeah, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00 (15:17):
Like well, if they get robbed today, it all gets
shared with everyone else.
SPEAKER_02 (15:22):
Well, and I see what you're saying, though, because
the reason that you know thatit's set up is because they have
the cameras already set upoutside the cab talking to the
people on the street, right?
Looking in to the other peoplewho are saying, Hey, we're gonna
(15:43):
shout out where that where'dthat camera have.
SPEAKER_04 (15:45):
Yeah, how that camera know that they needed to
be right there at that time.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_02 (15:49):
So I see your point.
So they do a lot of behind thescenes tricks uh you know to
create like a dramatic orexciting spectacle.
One of the things that they cando is they can make the set look
bigger.
Yep.
And I know that they do that onpressure luck for sure.
And also, have you ever seenPond Stars?
Yeah, they're in Vegas.
(16:11):
They're in Vegas.
You can tell that though.
So we went to that place.
SPEAKER_04 (16:15):
Oh my god.
SPEAKER_02 (16:16):
And I kid you not, that entire store is about the
size of a fly bathroom.
Yeah, yeah.
It's tiny.
The real store is tiny.
Yeah.
And they they monitor everybodythat comes in, so there's always
a long line standing out therewaiting to get in because they
think it's something fantastic.
But there's nobody wheeling anddealing like that.
I mean, maybe back in the daywhen they first started, but now
(16:38):
they all think they're actorsbecause of reality show people.
But anyway, so they also uh someof the game shows will use fake
timers, and we talked about thatkind of with the Wheel of
Fortune.
It's not really a timer, butcome on, you're not gonna
convince me they're notcontrolling that stuff.
SPEAKER_04 (16:55):
Well, and they even asked people on uh Buzzfeed.com,
which I go on all the timebecause I love BuzzFeed, and one
of the guys had a cousin thatwas on Survivor, and they had
actually won the final challenge45 minutes ahead of the second
place person, but they cut theshow so that it seemed like it
(17:16):
was only seconds that they wonit by seconds.
SPEAKER_02 (17:19):
Yep, and I was gonna say they trically edit and
control the narrative, right?
And so contestants also, wetalked about this because Dr.
Domain mentioned it.
They're all are you know, youmentioned that your friend, your
ex-girlfriend, uh whatever.
SPEAKER_04 (17:37):
Um, like he you weren't even in his life.
Shut up.
Who?
I've been in his life since hewas a baby.
SPEAKER_00 (17:43):
Okay, well, not like that.
Now we're getting weird cryabout it.
SPEAKER_04 (17:47):
Talking about your ex-girlfriend that's the game
show stuff.
SPEAKER_00 (17:50):
Well, you were okay.
SPEAKER_02 (17:51):
What about it?
I don't want to go back and whatI was gonna say is contestants
are often pre-selected andcoached.
Yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (18:00):
She was they went around, they so the Monty's got
some crony that goes out andwell, he did, that will talk to
people and figure out okay, whohas the most energy, who can
really get excitable.
Right, yeah, and that fit herprofile.
SPEAKER_02 (18:14):
And so cool, yeah.
Well, um, so game shows aresusceptible to scandals like
rigging, cheating, and fakecontestants, and so we do know
that for sure.
And sometimes when you see thesecontestants on the show, you
kind of go, This can't be right.
I mean, this can't be real.
So manipulating the set, Italked about that, making making
(18:36):
the whole set look bigger onscreen or using camera angles or
lighting to make them seemlarger.
Um, the Jeopardy set apparentlyis only about half the size of a
school gym.
It makes it look like it's amagnificent stage, right?
SPEAKER_04 (18:53):
No, I mean I can I can see that though, because it
doesn't look that big to me, butyeah.
They also control when peoplelaugh and clap because they they
have the little signs, thelittle signs that come up, the
little little handlers that go,okay, now go, oh yeah, you know,
type of thing.
And they also do like uh familyfeud.
It looks like you know, they domultiple days or you know, when
(19:17):
they run the shows back to back.
What they do is they do it allin one day and they just have
them change clothes, right?
SPEAKER_02 (19:24):
So things like that or countdowns or time
announcements are pre-recorded,right?
And they do the edit editing sothat they can make the
audience's reaction seementhusiastic during that time
period.
Uh, one of the things on castingand vetting of these
(19:44):
contestants, there, you know,everybody thinks that they're
chosen at random.
Oh, I want to go on the pricesright.
SPEAKER_04 (19:50):
They're not.
Good luck.
Yeah.
I went through the Jeopardyprocess myself.
And it was there's a reason Idid not go on Jeopardy.
Let's just put it that way,because I got to like the fourth
step in it, and I was like,okay, I'm done.
Like, this is bullshit.
SPEAKER_02 (20:06):
They had the Wheel of Fortune at one of the casinos
here in it.
Is it Oceola?
Yeah, yeah.
They had one of I I think it wasWheel of Fortune.
When a girlfriend and I wentdown there, because you could
try out to be on the show.
So we went down there and westood in line for a couple
hours, and I said, I'm not doingthis anymore because it was cold
(20:27):
outside.
And so, but all of these peoplewere standing in line, and I'm
not kidding you, for long, yeah,a long period of time, and they
came out and said, We've got ourcontestants, you all can go.
Yeah.
And it was, I mean, they weremad, but you know, it's not like
they're going through thatentire process of everybody that
(20:49):
applies.
SPEAKER_04 (20:50):
Because and the Jeopardy process, I mean, it's
long and drawn out because youhave to, there's an online
process, there's a screeningprocess, they go through
interviews and auditions, andhow much can you shut up and not
say about the show process?
And it's like, well, I can'tshut up for shit, so don't put
me on there.
SPEAKER_00 (21:07):
So they're briefed on have you done it?
Have you gone through ascreening?
SPEAKER_02 (21:11):
I haven't.
SPEAKER_00 (21:12):
I think she should go through a screening.
SPEAKER_02 (21:14):
I don't think so.
I think she should.
SPEAKER_00 (21:16):
Naked and afraid.
Do you get screened for that?
SPEAKER_02 (21:19):
Oh, for goodness.
SPEAKER_04 (21:22):
That would be interesting.
SPEAKER_02 (21:24):
That right there makes me sick.
Okay.
I can't stand to look at myselfin the mirror, let alone.
SPEAKER_00 (21:31):
You're giving a little satchel to cover up, you
know.
Whatever it's called, littlebaggy.
SPEAKER_04 (21:37):
See, they would do the reveal, you know, like where
you meet you meet your teammateor whatever.
You're gonna, and I would justbe like, oh my god, and just
walk away.
I'd be like, Where's the plane?
We're not doing this.
We're not doing this.
SPEAKER_02 (21:50):
I can't even imagine.
Oh my gosh.
Uh just the thought of it.
SPEAKER_04 (21:55):
No.
SPEAKER_02 (21:55):
Okay, back to what I was gonna talk about.
Uh, sometimes you know, you hearsometimes surprises are lifetime
supply.
That is false, actually.
Uh yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (22:08):
It is not always, and sometimes it's too much.
Yeah, yeah.
So they'll like either send abulk lifetime supply where
they're like to your house allat once.
So you get like a box peanuts.
You get a box of rice aronievery week for the rest of your
life, and they they plan out,you know, depending on your age.
(22:28):
So let's say you're in your 30swhen you go and compete, and
they're like, You won a lifetimesupply of book of rice aroni.
So they're like, Okay, likemaybe 40 years.
They send 40 years worth of ricearoni to your house at one time,
and it's like and it's allsitting out in the garage.
SPEAKER_02 (22:45):
Yeah, like what are you supposed to do when it's got
an expiration on it of threemonths from now?
SPEAKER_04 (22:50):
Right, right.
I mean, you know, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (22:53):
Put it on eBay or Facebook marketplace.
SPEAKER_02 (22:55):
Or just give it to the food banks.
SPEAKER_04 (22:58):
Yeah, and and I was reading about somebody who
actually did get a lifetimesupply of the rice aroni, and it
was an old, old game show, andthey gave it away to their
friends, their neighbors, thecommunity, all the food banks
they could find, and they stillhad like two pallets of rice
aroni they could not get rid of.
SPEAKER_02 (23:16):
I like rice aroni.
But yeah, you like it that much?
Not that much, not that much.
But here's the other thing onprizes.
Um, a lot of people don'trecognize this, but you have to
pay taxes on that stuff.
Yeah, and you have to pay itbefore you go.
SPEAKER_04 (23:32):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So you better have a couplethousand dollars going in.
SPEAKER_02 (23:35):
So let's say that you want a$25,000 car.
Okay, there's no$25,000 car.
Let's say that you want a$60,000car.
Right.
You have to pay the taxes forthe state of which you want it.
Right.
And then you have to go back toyour own state and license that
thing.
And so you're paying for tagsand all kinds of stuff.
But I mean, gosh, that that addsup, man.
(23:58):
And even if you won a buttloadof money, you may not even see
it.
Right.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (24:04):
So and that's on that's on more than I mean, just
cars.
You have to pay literally thetaxes on anything you win.
SPEAKER_02 (24:12):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (24:12):
And it's right there.
It's up front.
It's not like you can be like,okay, well, can I just take the
cash option and take the taxesout of that?
They're gonna be like, no, youhave to pay the taxes up front,
right?
Out of your own pocket.
SPEAKER_02 (24:24):
And let's face it, I mean if you're on a game show
trying to win a freaking car,you don't have the money for the
taxes.
Hey, I'm just here to to win myrice around you.
I didn't I didn't even know Iwas gonna be eligible for a car.
So, anyway, those are some ofthe things that I wanted to talk
about.
So, oh, the other thing was theproducers because the producers
(24:46):
really do, you know, they canhelp the contestants win by
giving them information.
Right.
And people don't even know thatthe producers are working with
their, you know, their rivalsover here.
Right.
You know, they also tell themwhat outfits to wear.
SPEAKER_04 (25:01):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (25:02):
Here's what colors you can wear, here's what you
need to wear when you're onstage.
SPEAKER_04 (25:06):
Here's how many buttons your shirt can go down.
Here, here's the type the cut ofjeans you need to wear, the cut
of pants you need to wear.
And producers, you know, a lotof times on the cooking shows,
those surprise ingredientsaren't surprise because the
producers tell them they tellme.
They're like, hey, you know, thesurprise ingredient's gonna be
avocados, so start thinkingabout something with an avocado
(25:27):
in it.
SPEAKER_02 (25:28):
And you know, it's something like um, what was it,
Iron Chef America, which is only60 minutes, and boom, you gotta
have 14 dishes on, you know, infront of the judges.
And everybody thinks thatthey're only taking 60 minutes
to fix this stuff.
No.
And, you know, I mean, maybe itdoes take that long, but the
judging, on the other hand, I'msure that that was probably, you
(25:50):
know, well, and on those shows,they have they actually have
people there that help to platethem and present them, and you
don't see those people.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (25:59):
All you see are, you know, the chefs that are
competing, but they actuallyhave people to help plate them
and organize them and thingslike that that you never see.
It's insane.
SPEAKER_02 (26:09):
It is insane.
It is, and that's why I'm notgoing to try out for I think you
should.
SPEAKER_04 (26:14):
I think you should go through a screening process
on something.
Yes, with your specialingredient.
SPEAKER_02 (26:20):
Turtle farts, black turtle farts.
SPEAKER_00 (26:22):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (26:23):
The other thing is I do watch a lot of that'll
totally ruin my dish.
Oh my god.
Oh my god, you know, fix herupper uh shows.
Extreme home makeover.
SPEAKER_04 (26:37):
Whatever that is.
That Thai guy that did that,yeah, he came out years later
and was like, yeah, we basicallyjust put like paint on shit and
then moved them back in.
SPEAKER_02 (26:48):
They don't actually finish the house.
SPEAKER_04 (26:50):
No, there's homework and all kinds of stuff.
Or they do it to the point wherethe house is now valued so much
that the family can't afford thetaxes any longer and they lose
the house.
SPEAKER_02 (27:00):
Right.
So you have somebody who's dirtpoor.
Yeah.
And we're gonna build you amillion-dollar home here and
we're gonna furnish it, andwe're gonna put a swimming pool
in, right, and we're gonna put,you know, do all of this stuff,
and your taxes just went to hellin a handbasket, and you can't
afford the utility bills on thisthing.
Right.
And they were dirt poor to beginwith.
It's like, well, their floor wasfalling out from under them, and
(27:23):
uh the roof was leaking.
And well, let's give them amillion-dollar house and try to
afford hey, at least theshithole was paid off.
SPEAKER_04 (27:29):
Now that now they're losing their land and everything
else because they can't affordthe taxes on it.
SPEAKER_02 (27:34):
The other thing is, is uh I was gonna say on the
carpenter shows, one of them,this is so funny because I
contacted them one time becauseI said, Hey, just seems odd to
me that you've got this show onTV and you're all out there
working and you're using allthis stuff and nobody's wearing
safety glasses, gloves, oranything.
Right.
OSHA violations left and right.
(27:54):
And they and you know what theirresponse was?
And and this was uh MagnoliaNetwork.
So I'm not gonna say the namesof the people, but you all know
who it is now.
They said, well, they don'treally work on the houses.
No, no, they don't.
They said they're rarely onscene, so it's not them.
And I thought, well, whoever itis that you're filming, yeah,
(28:16):
you need to tell them to putsome safety gear on, you
dumbasses.
But the other thing, the otherthing is, is like um big
brother, you know, the house andstuff, yeah, is actually a huge
warehouse.
SPEAKER_04 (28:29):
Yeah, and even though inside of a warehouse,
it's not even a real house.
SPEAKER_02 (28:33):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (28:34):
So there's no like actual weather.
There's no, I mean, there's noroof on the place because they
have to be able to see in therooms with the cameras and see
what's going on.
So it's basically, yeah, it'slike a dollhouse with the roof
ripped off.
SPEAKER_02 (28:47):
Yeah.
So there's a lot of stuff thatgoes on on these game shows,
folks, that you all think thatit's just so legit, and it's
really not which ones are legit?
I don't know.
None.
Don't ask.
SPEAKER_00 (28:58):
How about wipeout?
That's fun.
SPEAKER_02 (29:00):
Oh, that's fun.
That is fun.
SPEAKER_00 (29:01):
Yeah.
And then what's the biggest butthe biggest fatty or the biggest
loser, whatever they're called.
SPEAKER_04 (29:06):
That's actually really rigged.
That's one of the biggestrigged.
Um, so what they do is they werefound to be giving them
performance-enhancing drugs.
One of the figures was okay.
Yeah, you still lose the weight,but then like you turn around as
soon as the show's over, you'renot getting all of these um
helpful um chemicals.
SPEAKER_02 (29:28):
Think about it.
Who gave 400 pounds back?
Right, but they're working themout eight hours a day.
Who in their right mind can keepthat?
They can't do that.
SPEAKER_00 (29:36):
I'm just saying it's legit, right?
The weight loss is real.
SPEAKER_04 (29:39):
The weight loss is not sustainable and it's
probably not healthy.
And it's probably not in thetime limit that they're saying
that it is.
SPEAKER_00 (29:46):
Yeah, I got another one.
Fear factor.
That one's a good one.
SPEAKER_04 (29:50):
That one is a good one.
Yeah.
Joe Rogan.
Yeah, before he did the podcast.
You know, where we used to usedto get gross acts, you're like,
they would put snakes on them inthe things.
Yeah, yeah, that's sick.
SPEAKER_00 (30:02):
Sounds a good one.
That's sexy.
Did they win money on that?
SPEAKER_04 (30:05):
They did, yeah, yeah.
But you know, you talk aboutwipeout.
Uh MXC was the original wipeout,and it was filmed uh in Japan.
And that one was legit.
That was like legit, that washilarious, too.
That was one of the best ones towatch.
SPEAKER_02 (30:21):
One of the other ones, I don't think you can fake
this, but I can see how it couldbe staged is like the gladiator
challenges.
And what's the one where youhave to go through it, you know,
and time it and Ninja Warriors.
Ninja Warriors.
I mean, how do you really rigthat?
SPEAKER_04 (30:37):
Well, you would you would allow them to run the
course beforehand a few years.
But you could let anybody dothat, right?
Yeah, yeah.
Or maybe give them like a secondchance if they fall and they're
had money on them.
I don't know.
That would be a way to do it.
SPEAKER_02 (30:52):
Money on them.
SPEAKER_00 (30:54):
Yeah, bookies on the side.
Yeah, you got bookies on theside.
SPEAKER_04 (30:56):
I mean, hey, you can bet on anything nowadays just on
your phone.
So yeah, I suppose.
Yeah, I suppose.
That'd be a good one.
SPEAKER_02 (31:03):
Well, I that's all I had for the game shows.
SPEAKER_04 (31:06):
I still think that you should go through the
process of at least one gameshow.
No, but one game show.
SPEAKER_02 (31:12):
I would like to hear from our listeners to see if
anybody has been on a game showor if they were, you know, they
were interviewed or vetted for agame show.
SPEAKER_04 (31:20):
Or even in the audience, because a lot of the
audience has to be vetted aswell.
Yeah.
They have to be prepped andvetted and things like that.
So yeah, anybody out therethat's that's ever been through
the the game show circus.
SPEAKER_02 (31:33):
I would love to hear from them because one of the
other things that I discoveredwas like, let's say we were
talking about the car earlier,and let's say it was a sixty
thousand dollar car, and I said,Hey, you know what?
I don't want the car, just giveme 10 grand.
You can't do that.
They won't let you know thatbecause you know they have these
deals with the with the peoplewho provide these prices like
the manufacturers and stuff likethat.
SPEAKER_00 (31:55):
You can donate it, right?
There's nothing saying you can'tdonate that.
No, but what they'd be you haveto pay the taxes.
That's what I'm saying.
Maybe the con the charitablecontribution may offset some of
the taxes.
SPEAKER_04 (32:06):
At the end of the year, I mean, who's gonna wait
for that?
Not poor people.
SPEAKER_00 (32:10):
Well, I should I don't have all the answers,
probably.
SPEAKER_02 (32:14):
I don't have any answers.
So uh the only thing I'm gonnatell you right now is uh I think
that's all we had for game showhere at the rabbit hole studio
today.
We appreciate you joining ushere.
And be sure to follow us.
We look forward to spending timewith you each week.
We would love to hear from youif you were on a game show, if
(32:35):
you had anything to do with agame show or what your
experience has been with gameshows.
I find it quite interesting.
Uh, only just don't diss mindpress your luck.
Love that show.
Like us online, and if you havepositive feedback for us, or if
there's a topic you want us totalk about, drop us a short
(32:55):
email at Boomer and Gen X or atgmail.com.
If you have hate mail, where'sthat going, Bobby?
SPEAKER_04 (33:01):
Uh that's going in the game show file of bullshit
that does not happen.
That's exactly right.
So until next week, I'm JaneBurr.
And I'm Bobby Joy, and you'restuck with us.
Peace out later.
Welcome everyone to today's show.
A boomer and a Gen Xer.
Walking to a bar coming to youfrom the Rabbit Hole Studio,
where you, as our listener, willexperience some wit and wisdom,
some smart assery, and a motherand a daughter questioning, are
we even related?
My name's Bobby Joy, and myco-host is my mom Jane.
(00:24):
And uh she's down there just agrinning because she's ready to
entertain you today.
SPEAKER_02 (00:29):
Well, no, it's because Dr.
Domain just automaticallypointed to me to do the intro,
and I'm like panicking.
It's like, wait a minute, I'mnot doing it.
Bobby's doing it.
SPEAKER_04 (00:40):
Well, I pay attention, so it helps.
SPEAKER_02 (00:42):
Aw, so how you feeling, Bobby?
I know you've been under theweather a little bit.
SPEAKER_04 (00:45):
Oh, just you know, battling migraines and it's
you're tired.
You're tired.
SPEAKER_02 (00:51):
Oh my goodness.
Here in Iowa, it is cold, butyou know what?
It's November.
It's not like we didn't see itcoming.
SPEAKER_04 (00:57):
Yeah, but you know, the lows are actually the lowest
it's been since March of thisyear.
So really, yeah.
Yeah.
So it's kind of it's like in the20s.
It's like you forget what coldweather feels like.
Oh yeah.
Even though you know it's comingevery year and then it just hits
you like a brick wall.
SPEAKER_02 (01:14):
But in Iowa, you know, we could have 80 degree
weather and then have a swing of20 below the next day.
Snow.
And so, you know, there's that.
But anyway, um, hey, guess what?
Some people's primarilyretirees, favorite pastime or
favorite shows are on TV.
SPEAKER_04 (01:36):
I was gonna say bingo when you said pastime.
SPEAKER_02 (01:38):
Well, that is Powerball.
SPEAKER_04 (01:40):
Powerball.
SPEAKER_02 (01:41):
Oh, yeah, that could be, but uh that's the the Farm
and News Report.
Oh no, but they do listen to alot of news, you know.
Uh no, game shows.
Game shows.
Did you know that there's anactual network for game shows?
SPEAKER_04 (02:00):
Yeah, the game show network.
Oh my goodness, and they showeverything like from like the
70s, 80s, 90s, all of it.
I know it's crazy.
SPEAKER_02 (02:09):
And you can search back on those old game shows,
and it's I mean, it's kind offunny to watch because you know,
these women with bouffanthairdo's and the guys with the
four-inch tie, you know,four-inch wide tie wearing
little heels, the guys wearingheels because they gotta look
bigger.
Yeah, or they wear platformshoes.
SPEAKER_04 (02:27):
Yeah, and let's not forget the serial killer on the
game show.
What game show was it?
Yeah, there was so that was theone.
Oh shoot, what's it?
The dating game.
Yeah, the dating game.
Yeah, he was contestant numberone.
SPEAKER_02 (02:38):
Yeah, how funny is that?
Yeah, so that was really weirdwhen that whole thing came out
and that documentary came out.
We found out, oh man, we werewatching this guy, and the cops
were looking for him.
There he is!
SPEAKER_01 (02:50):
I mean, there he is!
SPEAKER_02 (02:52):
I kind of remembered that show, really.
I mean, I kind of did.
So, um, guess what the oldestrunning game show is on TV?
That's still on today, yes.
Oh, uh I'm gonna give you a hinthere.
Is it your favorite one?
It began in 1956.
SPEAKER_04 (03:13):
Is it your favorite game show?
SPEAKER_02 (03:15):
No.
SPEAKER_04 (03:15):
Oh, so it's not press your luck.
SPEAKER_02 (03:17):
No.
SPEAKER_04 (03:18):
Press, I'm gonna press my luck, Elizabeth! So
1950s.
Um and 1950s.
SPEAKER_02 (03:25):
Yeah, it's the longest running syndicated game.
SPEAKER_04 (03:28):
Is it the one the pyramid?
Uh no.
SPEAKER_00 (03:31):
$20,000 pyramid.
SPEAKER_04 (03:32):
Yeah, that's what I was gonna say.
SPEAKER_00 (03:34):
Yeah, I think inflation brought up to$100,000.
SPEAKER_04 (03:36):
The longest running tac toe.
It's tic-tac-toe.
No.
SPEAKER_00 (03:40):
Oh.
Oh, it's uh um uh where theybring people in, they try and
guess who they are.
SPEAKER_04 (03:46):
No.
SPEAKER_00 (03:46):
Like I witnessed who they are.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (03:49):
Yeah, like I witness these fascination of you have to
guess which one's the true then.
Which one's the lie?
SPEAKER_00 (03:57):
Yeah, that's not oh, that's let's make a deal.
SPEAKER_02 (03:59):
Let's no, uh, what is that?
Wheel of fortune about truth.
SPEAKER_00 (04:02):
The dating game.
SPEAKER_02 (04:02):
Oh my gosh, the price is right.
Jeopardy.
So the price is right.
The price is right began in 1956and then it was revived with a
new format in 1972.
So that's kind of when peoplestarted watching it really more.
The longest-running syndicatedgame show in the US is Wheel of
Fortune.
(04:23):
And it premiered in 1975.
Isn't that wild?
So, do you remember?
So, apparently, the yeah, theprice is right in 1956 had a
host named Bill Cullen.
Huh.
I kind of remember that name.
Bill Cullen.
Could you imagine?
I wasn't born in 56.
That is even older than me.
SPEAKER_04 (04:42):
But but could you imagine like going back and
watching those and seeing the atthe prices on everything, and
you're just like blown away, awasher for$55 and it's brand
new.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (04:54):
I went to Mexico because of a game show.
SPEAKER_02 (04:57):
Oh, that's right.
The girlfriend that you weredating at the time, she won a
trip.
She was on what show?
Jeopardy?
SPEAKER_00 (05:03):
No, let's make a deal with Monty Hall.
SPEAKER_02 (05:05):
With Monty Hall.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (05:08):
She dressed up as a chef.
So she was working for thecollege and had something going
on in California.
And so just by chance she stoodin line to be in the audience.
And it's interesting, they put aspring on the seat.
You know, you see all thesepeople bouncing around.
Yes.
Yeah, they're they're they'rebouncy seats.
SPEAKER_01 (05:29):
Well, we're not.
SPEAKER_00 (05:31):
It's a show where they all dressed up.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And she she missed out on a car,but she got a trip to Mexico.
And she took you to Mexico,yeah.
I was already in Mexico at thetime, but yeah, she brought me.
SPEAKER_02 (05:42):
That's not much of a trip.
SPEAKER_00 (05:44):
It wasn't much of a trip.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (05:45):
I think somebody got screwed on that whole thing.
I think you did, yeah.
So that's what we're gonna talkabout today, but we're gonna
talk about some of the secretsthat uh are behind the game
shows.
And so uh, like I said, theprice is right originally
premiered in 1956.
And then do you remember who theactual uh host was up until
(06:07):
recently?
SPEAKER_04 (06:07):
Oh I know it's shoe carry now, but it was uh uh come
on.
SPEAKER_02 (06:13):
Oh, Dr.
Domain's got his hand up going.
SPEAKER_00 (06:16):
Go for it.
Bob Barker.
Bob Barker Spader, your dog orwhatever.
SPEAKER_02 (06:22):
Yeah, nude your pants.
That's right.
Yep, that's exactly right.
So, anyway, my as I mentionedearlier, my favorite is press
your luck.
No ammies.
SPEAKER_00 (06:35):
Now, when does that show start?
SPEAKER_02 (06:36):
Press your luck.
Yeah.
Oh, that's a good question.
SPEAKER_00 (06:39):
Don't cheat.
SPEAKER_02 (06:40):
I am gonna cheat.
SPEAKER_00 (06:41):
I don't know.
No, it started belt and Googlefoo.
SPEAKER_04 (06:47):
Well, there was something let me just use this
water to use AI to see when itcame up.
Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (06:54):
Okay, Bobby, I think uh let's see.
It was I'm gonna let you guysguess when 1980.
Oh, you're so close.
1983.
Oh.
1983.
It was on CBS Network, and itwas hosted by Peter Tomarkin.
SPEAKER_04 (07:11):
I almost said Peter Dinklage, but no, that's the
actor.
SPEAKER_02 (07:16):
That would have been entertaining.
So there was something thathappened on Press Your Luck uh
years ago.
Do you remember what that was?
Oh my goodness, come on.
SPEAKER_04 (07:26):
I really the only time I really dealt with Press
Your Luck was at the casinobecause they had the casino game
that was Press Your Luck.
But I do remember the nowhammies, no whammies, you know,
things like that.
SPEAKER_02 (07:36):
So what happened was go ahead, Dr.
Domain.
SPEAKER_00 (07:40):
Well, I don't know the gentleman's name, but he sat
and watched all the shows, andwhat he did was study the
pattern of the lights around theperimeter of the casino.
SPEAKER_04 (07:51):
That's what I did at the casino.
SPEAKER_00 (07:53):
Is that what you did?
SPEAKER_04 (07:54):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (07:54):
Oh, Jack.
They fixed that too.
So you got kicked out.
Yeah.
Well, they caught up with thisguy eventually.
And they because they they werelike, he didn't hit a single
way.
I mean, he brought I mean youhave to.
No, you're right.
SPEAKER_02 (08:07):
So it was Michael Larson, Michael Larson, he won
over$110,000.
And back then in 1984.
That's huge.
That's huge.
Yeah.
But he did it exactly the waythat you said is by memorizing
the board's patterns.
But that's not illegal.
Well, it's like card countries.
Yeah, he was just smarter.
Yeah.
But they they actually broughthim up on uh fraudulent
(08:30):
marketing scheme charges.
Oh, that's and tried to chargehim.
And uh, but he squandered all ofthe money that he got, and at
this kind of it wasn't really afailed scheme, but they called
it a failed scheme.
And he died of cancer in 1999.
SPEAKER_04 (08:46):
Wow.
Okay, Debbie Downer over there.
I know what really, I meanstats.
It shouldn't be illegal becauseyou're not doing you're not
rigging the game, you're notmessing with the outcome.
It's like card counting inVegas.
Is it frowned upon?
Yeah, but should it be illegal?
SPEAKER_02 (09:01):
No, because if you're smart enough to do it, to
figure it out.
Yeah.
Well, and like these game showsdon't do some backhanded stuff.
Oh, they do.
SPEAKER_04 (09:10):
Come on, it's just shit show, literally.
SPEAKER_02 (09:12):
Have you ever watched The Wheel of Fortune
where they go to spin it andthen it's like it's spinning
really, really fast, and thenstop.
Yep.
Yeah, yeah, you can't tell methat's not rigged.
Don't tell me that it's not.
SPEAKER_00 (09:24):
So what was the show that had um played Cranston?
He they bought all the lot, theyfigured it out.
They bought like thousands oflottery tickets and they won.
SPEAKER_02 (09:35):
Oh consistently.
No, that was just the lottery.
SPEAKER_00 (09:38):
That was based on yeah, lottery.
That was based on truth, right?
SPEAKER_02 (09:42):
Right, exactly.
So what happened was was theygot the town folk and everybody
involved, and they startedinvesting money and buying
lottery tickets because thisthis mouth mathematician figured
out how many chances there wereto win, and so started playing
the odds.
And I mean, they were makingbuttloads of money.
But um, Mike Larson was the onewho, you know, uh kind of
(10:05):
screwed up the whammy show, Iguess.
Uh, but that is my favoriteshow.
And then there was anothercontestant that was on Who Wants
to Be a Millionaire, and theycheated.
Guess how they cheated.
SPEAKER_04 (10:18):
Uh oh, by coughing.
SPEAKER_02 (10:24):
There is somebody in the audience coughing.
Yep, had a had somebody else inthe in the audience's wife,
Diana, and they were convictedof cheating on the UK version of
Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
SPEAKER_04 (10:37):
Which is the original version.
SPEAKER_02 (10:38):
I believe that is true.
That was in 2001.
And then there was a big scandalback in the 1950s in the US
about rigging several popularshows.
Contestants were secretly givenanswers by the producers to help
them win.
And you know, I don't know ifeverybody knows it, but if you
(10:59):
go on Jeopardy, you get thatinformation in advance.
It's just how many of those youcan memorize.
SPEAKER_04 (11:04):
Speaking of Jeopardy, did you know that
certain bets are forbidden onthe game of Jeopardy?
Like what?
Okay, so uh, so this is thefunny thing.
So certain bets, like numberbets, are forbidden because of
their association with whitesupremacy.
What?
Yeah, no, don't BS on that.
Yeah, like numbers.
(11:25):
Like what?
Like the whatever the whitesupremacy numbers are.
What are they?
Like four or four or somethinglike that, or God, hold on.
Give me a minute.
SPEAKER_03 (11:36):
Come on.
SPEAKER_04 (11:37):
Six seven.
Six seven, I swear.
SPEAKER_02 (11:43):
I had to throw that in there because my grandson,
who's a teenager, he he doesthat.
Six seven.
SPEAKER_04 (11:49):
Okay, so yeah, so apparently there's a couple of
them.
So references to sex, Nazis, orSatan.
So apparently you can't bet$666.
Well, that's Satan.
Well, okay, okay, uh,$69.
Can't do it.
You can't bet$69.
Cannot do it.
(12:10):
No, no.
Yeah.
Um, and you're making this up.
No.
So, and then like uh apparentlythe number 14 and 88 are
associated with the Nazis.
I gotta go back a little bit,but I know 88 is just because of
(12:31):
the SS, but yeah.
So um the white supremacist 14words slogan.
What?
Yeah, so they're forbidden.
And even Ken Jennings, you know,the big Jeopardy guy, he made a
joke about it um on his Twitterabout that they were forbidden.
Oh my gosh, I bet they came downhard on him.
(12:52):
I'm sure that that's why he'snot there anymore.
SPEAKER_00 (12:55):
But anyway, isn't he the host?
No, there's a woman there.
SPEAKER_02 (12:58):
No, there's a woman now.
Oh, yeah, I don't know who sheis, but yeah, you're right.
He's been on uh what's thatother game show?
I do like this one, uh, whereyou have to beat the the guy
that beat somebody up?
SPEAKER_00 (13:11):
Beat the monkey?
SPEAKER_02 (13:12):
No my goodness.
Oh my goodness.
There we go.
I'm not even gonna go into itbecause I can't remember the
name of it now.
SPEAKER_00 (13:20):
Have you seen some of those Japanese shows where
like a silhouette of somethinglike this wall coming towards
you, and you're gonna cancontort your body to fit
through?
SPEAKER_04 (13:29):
You have to shape it, yeah.
You have to make the shape inorder to fit through, otherwise,
you get knocked off and you geteliminated.
Japanese shows are wild.
But you know, you know, speakingof that, there are shows, and I
know these aren't likenecessarily game shows, but they
really are like master chef.
Yeah, the contestants actuallypractice their dishes.
SPEAKER_02 (13:52):
Yeah, no, they do, yeah.
Like you're given the dishesbeforehand.
Well, you know, we talked aboutthat.
It's like they show up and theygo, Okay, what's your secret
ingredient?
Oh, it's rutabega and you know,black turtle farts.
Black turtle farts.
I don't know.
They come up with some weirdstuff, and it's like, how would
(14:14):
they have that in the kitchen?
SPEAKER_04 (14:16):
You know, have you ever seen have you ever seen
that show Cash Cab?
Oh, yeah, yeah.
So that's that's that'scompletely set up.
SPEAKER_02 (14:26):
I was gonna say, I know they're not random people.
So this is making me crack upright now.
Hold on, hold on.
SPEAKER_00 (14:31):
How does that work though?
Because like they'll have like ashout-out, like they're going
through New York, right?
And like, oh, do you want toI'll do a shout out?
Well, do they stage all thepeople on the street and
everything?
SPEAKER_04 (14:43):
They stage everybody.
Wow.
Yeah, everything from thecontestant to the shout-outs to
the route that they take.
Like they have it allpre-planned.
Thanks.
So that way there's a lot ofpeople.
I mean, if you think about it,let's let's really think about
it.
New York, God love New York, youknow.
But you're not gonna be drivingthat fast in New York, first of
(15:03):
all, on a case.
And second of all, you're notgonna pick up some rando knowing
that you're carrying hundreds,maybe even thousands of dollars
in this cash cab that's lit uplike Christmas.
True.
I know what's in there.
True.
What if they get robbed?
Yeah, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00 (15:17):
Like well, if they get robbed today, it all gets
shared with everyone else.
SPEAKER_02 (15:22):
Well, and I see what you're saying, though, because
the reason that you know thatit's set up is because they have
the cameras already set upoutside the cab talking to the
people on the street, right?
Looking in to the other peoplewho are saying, Hey, we're gonna
(15:43):
shout out where that where'dthat camera have.
SPEAKER_04 (15:45):
Yeah, how that camera know that they needed to
be right there at that time.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_02 (15:49):
So I see your point.
So they do a lot of behind thescenes tricks uh you know to
create like a dramatic orexciting spectacle.
One of the things that they cando is they can make the set look
bigger.
Yep.
And I know that they do that onpressure luck for sure.
And also, have you ever seenPond Stars?
Yeah, they're in Vegas.
(16:11):
They're in Vegas.
You can tell that though.
So we went to that place.
SPEAKER_04 (16:15):
Oh my god.
SPEAKER_02 (16:16):
And I kid you not, that entire store is about the
size of a fly bathroom.
Yeah, yeah.
It's tiny.
The real store is tiny.
Yeah.
And they they monitor everybodythat comes in, so there's always
a long line standing out therewaiting to get in because they
think it's something fantastic.
But there's nobody wheeling anddealing like that.
I mean, maybe back in the daywhen they first started, but now
(16:38):
they all think they're actorsbecause of reality show people.
But anyway, so they also uh someof the game shows will use fake
timers, and we talked about thatkind of with the Wheel of
Fortune.
It's not really a timer, butcome on, you're not gonna
convince me they're notcontrolling that stuff.
SPEAKER_04 (16:55):
Well, and they even asked people on uh Buzzfeed.com,
which I go on all the timebecause I love BuzzFeed, and one
of the guys had a cousin thatwas on Survivor, and they had
actually won the final challenge45 minutes ahead of the second
place person, but they cut theshow so that it seemed like it
(17:16):
was only seconds that they wonit by seconds.
SPEAKER_02 (17:19):
Yep, and I was gonna say they trically edit and
control the narrative, right?
And so contestants also, wetalked about this because Dr.
Domain mentioned it.
They're all are you know, youmentioned that your friend, your
ex-girlfriend, uh whatever.
SPEAKER_04 (17:37):
Um, like he you weren't even in his life.
Shut up.
Who?
I've been in his life since hewas a baby.
SPEAKER_00 (17:43):
Okay, well, not like that.
Now we're getting weird cryabout it.
SPEAKER_04 (17:47):
Talking about your ex-girlfriend that's the game
show stuff.
SPEAKER_00 (17:50):
Well, you were okay.
SPEAKER_02 (17:51):
What about it?
I don't want to go back and whatI was gonna say is contestants
are often pre-selected andcoached.
Yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (18:00):
She was they went around, they so the Monty's got
some crony that goes out andwell, he did, that will talk to
people and figure out okay, whohas the most energy, who can
really get excitable.
Right, yeah, and that fit herprofile.
SPEAKER_02 (18:14):
And so cool, yeah.
Well, um, so game shows aresusceptible to scandals like
rigging, cheating, and fakecontestants, and so we do know
that for sure.
And sometimes when you see thesecontestants on the show, you
kind of go, This can't be right.
I mean, this can't be real.
So manipulating the set, Italked about that, making making
(18:36):
the whole set look bigger onscreen or using camera angles or
lighting to make them seemlarger.
Um, the Jeopardy set apparentlyis only about half the size of a
school gym.
It makes it look like it's amagnificent stage, right?
SPEAKER_04 (18:53):
No, I mean I can I can see that though, because it
doesn't look that big to me, butyeah.
They also control when peoplelaugh and clap because they they
have the little signs, thelittle signs that come up, the
little little handlers that go,okay, now go, oh yeah, you know,
type of thing.
And they also do like uh familyfeud.
It looks like you know, they domultiple days or you know, when
(19:17):
they run the shows back to back.
What they do is they do it allin one day and they just have
them change clothes, right?
SPEAKER_02 (19:24):
So things like that or countdowns or time
announcements are pre-recorded,right?
And they do the edit editing sothat they can make the
audience's reaction seementhusiastic during that time
period.
Uh, one of the things on castingand vetting of these
(19:44):
contestants, there, you know,everybody thinks that they're
chosen at random.
Oh, I want to go on the pricesright.
SPEAKER_04 (19:50):
They're not.
Good luck.
Yeah.
I went through the Jeopardyprocess myself.
And it was there's a reason Idid not go on Jeopardy.
Let's just put it that way,because I got to like the fourth
step in it, and I was like,okay, I'm done.
Like, this is bullshit.
SPEAKER_02 (20:06):
They had the Wheel of Fortune at one of the casinos
here in it.
Is it Oceola?
Yeah, yeah.
They had one of I I think it wasWheel of Fortune.
When a girlfriend and I wentdown there, because you could
try out to be on the show.
So we went down there and westood in line for a couple
hours, and I said, I'm not doingthis anymore because it was cold
(20:27):
outside.
And so, but all of these peoplewere standing in line, and I'm
not kidding you, for long, yeah,a long period of time, and they
came out and said, We've got ourcontestants, you all can go.
Yeah.
And it was, I mean, they weremad, but you know, it's not like
they're going through thatentire process of everybody that
(20:49):
applies.
SPEAKER_04 (20:50):
Because and the Jeopardy process, I mean, it's
long and drawn out because youhave to, there's an online
process, there's a screeningprocess, they go through
interviews and auditions, andhow much can you shut up and not
say about the show process?
And it's like, well, I can'tshut up for shit, so don't put
me on there.
SPEAKER_00 (21:07):
So they're briefed on have you done it?
Have you gone through ascreening?
SPEAKER_02 (21:11):
I haven't.
SPEAKER_00 (21:12):
I think she should go through a screening.
SPEAKER_02 (21:14):
I don't think so.
I think she should.
SPEAKER_00 (21:16):
Naked and afraid.
Do you get screened for that?
SPEAKER_02 (21:19):
Oh, for goodness.
SPEAKER_04 (21:22):
That would be interesting.
SPEAKER_02 (21:24):
That right there makes me sick.
Okay.
I can't stand to look at myselfin the mirror, let alone.
SPEAKER_00 (21:31):
You're giving a little satchel to cover up, you
know.
Whatever it's called, littlebaggy.
SPEAKER_04 (21:37):
See, they would do the reveal, you know, like where
you meet you meet your teammateor whatever.
You're gonna, and I would justbe like, oh my god, and just
walk away.
I'd be like, Where's the plane?
We're not doing this.
We're not doing this.
SPEAKER_02 (21:50):
I can't even imagine.
Oh my gosh.
Uh just the thought of it.
SPEAKER_04 (21:55):
No.
SPEAKER_02 (21:55):
Okay, back to what I was gonna talk about.
Uh, sometimes you know, you hearsometimes surprises are lifetime
supply.
That is false, actually.
Uh yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (22:08):
It is not always, and sometimes it's too much.
Yeah, yeah.
So they'll like either send abulk lifetime supply where
they're like to your house allat once.
So you get like a box peanuts.
You get a box of rice aronievery week for the rest of your
life, and they they plan out,you know, depending on your age.
(22:28):
So let's say you're in your 30swhen you go and compete, and
they're like, You won a lifetimesupply of book of rice aroni.
So they're like, Okay, likemaybe 40 years.
They send 40 years worth of ricearoni to your house at one time,
and it's like and it's allsitting out in the garage.
SPEAKER_02 (22:45):
Yeah, like what are you supposed to do when it's got
an expiration on it of threemonths from now?
SPEAKER_04 (22:50):
Right, right.
I mean, you know, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (22:53):
Put it on eBay or Facebook marketplace.
SPEAKER_02 (22:55):
Or just give it to the food banks.
SPEAKER_04 (22:58):
Yeah, and and I was reading about somebody who
actually did get a lifetimesupply of the rice aroni, and it
was an old, old game show, andthey gave it away to their
friends, their neighbors, thecommunity, all the food banks
they could find, and they stillhad like two pallets of rice
aroni they could not get rid of.
SPEAKER_02 (23:16):
I like rice aroni.
But yeah, you like it that much?
Not that much, not that much.
But here's the other thing onprizes.
Um, a lot of people don'trecognize this, but you have to
pay taxes on that stuff.
Yeah, and you have to pay itbefore you go.
SPEAKER_04 (23:32):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So you better have a couplethousand dollars going in.
SPEAKER_02 (23:35):
So let's say that you want a$25,000 car.
Okay, there's no$25,000 car.
Let's say that you want a$60,000car.
Right.
You have to pay the taxes forthe state of which you want it.
Right.
And then you have to go back toyour own state and license that
thing.
And so you're paying for tagsand all kinds of stuff.
But I mean, gosh, that that addsup, man.
(23:58):
And even if you won a buttloadof money, you may not even see
it.
Right.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (24:04):
So and that's on that's on more than I mean, just
cars.
You have to pay literally thetaxes on anything you win.
SPEAKER_02 (24:12):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (24:12):
And it's right there.
It's up front.
It's not like you can be like,okay, well, can I just take the
cash option and take the taxesout of that?
They're gonna be like, no, youhave to pay the taxes up front,
right?
Out of your own pocket.
SPEAKER_02 (24:24):
And let's face it, I mean if you're on a game show
trying to win a freaking car,you don't have the money for the
taxes.
Hey, I'm just here to to win myrice around you.
I didn't I didn't even know Iwas gonna be eligible for a car.
So, anyway, those are some ofthe things that I wanted to talk
about.
So, oh, the other thing was theproducers because the producers
(24:46):
really do, you know, they canhelp the contestants win by
giving them information.
Right.
And people don't even know thatthe producers are working with
their, you know, their rivalsover here.
Right.
You know, they also tell themwhat outfits to wear.
SPEAKER_04 (25:01):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (25:02):
Here's what colors you can wear, here's what you
need to wear when you're onstage.
SPEAKER_04 (25:06):
Here's how many buttons your shirt can go down.
Here, here's the type the cut ofjeans you need to wear, the cut
of pants you need to wear.
And producers, you know, a lotof times on the cooking shows,
those surprise ingredientsaren't surprise because the
producers tell them they tellme.
They're like, hey, you know, thesurprise ingredient's gonna be
avocados, so start thinkingabout something with an avocado
(25:27):
in it.
SPEAKER_02 (25:28):
And you know, it's something like um, what was it,
Iron Chef America, which is only60 minutes, and boom, you gotta
have 14 dishes on, you know, infront of the judges.
And everybody thinks thatthey're only taking 60 minutes
to fix this stuff.
No.
And, you know, I mean, maybe itdoes take that long, but the
judging, on the other hand, I'msure that that was probably, you
(25:50):
know, well, and on those shows,they have they actually have
people there that help to platethem and present them, and you
don't see those people.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (25:59):
All you see are, you know, the chefs that are
competing, but they actuallyhave people to help plate them
and organize them and thingslike that that you never see.
It's insane.
SPEAKER_02 (26:09):
It is insane.
It is, and that's why I'm notgoing to try out for I think you
should.
SPEAKER_04 (26:14):
I think you should go through a screening process
on something.
Yes, with your specialingredient.
SPEAKER_02 (26:20):
Turtle farts, black turtle farts.
SPEAKER_00 (26:22):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (26:23):
The other thing is I do watch a lot of that'll
totally ruin my dish.
Oh my god.
Oh my god, you know, fix herupper uh shows.
Extreme home makeover.
SPEAKER_04 (26:37):
Whatever that is.
That Thai guy that did that,yeah, he came out years later
and was like, yeah, we basicallyjust put like paint on shit and
then moved them back in.
SPEAKER_02 (26:48):
They don't actually finish the house.
SPEAKER_04 (26:50):
No, there's homework and all kinds of stuff.
Or they do it to the point wherethe house is now valued so much
that the family can't afford thetaxes any longer and they lose
the house.
SPEAKER_02 (27:00):
Right.
So you have somebody who's dirtpoor.
Yeah.
And we're gonna build you amillion-dollar home here and
we're gonna furnish it, andwe're gonna put a swimming pool
in, right, and we're gonna put,you know, do all of this stuff,
and your taxes just went to hellin a handbasket, and you can't
afford the utility bills on thisthing.
Right.
And they were dirt poor to beginwith.
It's like, well, their floor wasfalling out from under them, and
(27:23):
uh the roof was leaking.
And well, let's give them amillion-dollar house and try to
afford hey, at least theshithole was paid off.
SPEAKER_04 (27:29):
Now that now they're losing their land and everything
else because they can't affordthe taxes on it.
SPEAKER_02 (27:34):
The other thing is, is uh I was gonna say on the
carpenter shows, one of them,this is so funny because I
contacted them one time becauseI said, Hey, just seems odd to
me that you've got this show onTV and you're all out there
working and you're using allthis stuff and nobody's wearing
safety glasses, gloves, oranything.
Right.
OSHA violations left and right.
(27:54):
And they and you know what theirresponse was?
And and this was uh MagnoliaNetwork.
So I'm not gonna say the namesof the people, but you all know
who it is now.
They said, well, they don'treally work on the houses.
No, no, they don't.
They said they're rarely onscene, so it's not them.
And I thought, well, whoever itis that you're filming, yeah,
(28:16):
you need to tell them to putsome safety gear on, you
dumbasses.
But the other thing, the otherthing is, is like um big
brother, you know, the house andstuff, yeah, is actually a huge
warehouse.
SPEAKER_04 (28:29):
Yeah, and even though inside of a warehouse,
it's not even a real house.
SPEAKER_02 (28:33):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (28:34):
So there's no like actual weather.
There's no, I mean, there's noroof on the place because they
have to be able to see in therooms with the cameras and see
what's going on.
So it's basically, yeah, it'slike a dollhouse with the roof
ripped off.
SPEAKER_02 (28:47):
Yeah.
So there's a lot of stuff thatgoes on on these game shows,
folks, that you all think thatit's just so legit, and it's
really not which ones are legit?
I don't know.
None.
Don't ask.
SPEAKER_00 (28:58):
How about wipeout?
That's fun.
SPEAKER_02 (29:00):
Oh, that's fun.
That is fun.
SPEAKER_00 (29:01):
Yeah.
And then what's the biggest butthe biggest fatty or the biggest
loser, whatever they're called.
SPEAKER_04 (29:06):
That's actually really rigged.
That's one of the biggestrigged.
Um, so what they do is they werefound to be giving them
performance-enhancing drugs.
One of the figures was okay.
Yeah, you still lose the weight,but then like you turn around as
soon as the show's over, you'renot getting all of these um
helpful um chemicals.
SPEAKER_02 (29:28):
Think about it.
Who gave 400 pounds back?
Right, but they're working themout eight hours a day.
Who in their right mind can keepthat?
They can't do that.
SPEAKER_00 (29:36):
I'm just saying it's legit, right?
The weight loss is real.
SPEAKER_04 (29:39):
The weight loss is not sustainable and it's
probably not healthy.
And it's probably not in thetime limit that they're saying
that it is.
SPEAKER_00 (29:46):
Yeah, I got another one.
Fear factor.
That one's a good one.
SPEAKER_04 (29:50):
That one is a good one.
Yeah.
Joe Rogan.
Yeah, before he did the podcast.
You know, where we used to usedto get gross acts, you're like,
they would put snakes on them inthe things.
Yeah, yeah, that's sick.
SPEAKER_00 (30:02):
Sounds a good one.
That's sexy.
Did they win money on that?
SPEAKER_04 (30:05):
They did, yeah, yeah.
But you know, you talk aboutwipeout.
Uh MXC was the original wipeout,and it was filmed uh in Japan.
And that one was legit.
That was like legit, that washilarious, too.
That was one of the best ones towatch.
SPEAKER_02 (30:21):
One of the other ones, I don't think you can fake
this, but I can see how it couldbe staged is like the gladiator
challenges.
And what's the one where youhave to go through it, you know,
and time it and Ninja Warriors.
Ninja Warriors.
I mean, how do you really rigthat?
SPEAKER_04 (30:37):
Well, you would you would allow them to run the
course beforehand a few years.
But you could let anybody dothat, right?
Yeah, yeah.
Or maybe give them like a secondchance if they fall and they're
had money on them.
I don't know.
That would be a way to do it.
SPEAKER_02 (30:52):
Money on them.
SPEAKER_00 (30:54):
Yeah, bookies on the side.
Yeah, you got bookies on theside.
SPEAKER_04 (30:56):
I mean, hey, you can bet on anything nowadays just on
your phone.
So yeah, I suppose.
Yeah, I suppose.
That'd be a good one.
SPEAKER_02 (31:03):
Well, I that's all I had for the game shows.
SPEAKER_04 (31:06):
I still think that you should go through the
process of at least one gameshow.
No, but one game show.
SPEAKER_02 (31:12):
I would like to hear from our listeners to see if
anybody has been on a game showor if they were, you know, they
were interviewed or vetted for agame show.
SPEAKER_04 (31:20):
Or even in the audience, because a lot of the
audience has to be vetted aswell.
Yeah.
They have to be prepped andvetted and things like that.
So yeah, anybody out therethat's that's ever been through
the the game show circus.
SPEAKER_02 (31:33):
I would love to hear from them because one of the
other things that I discoveredwas like, let's say we were
talking about the car earlier,and let's say it was a sixty
thousand dollar car, and I said,Hey, you know what?
I don't want the car, just giveme 10 grand.
You can't do that.
They won't let you know thatbecause you know they have these
deals with the with the peoplewho provide these prices like
the manufacturers and stuff likethat.
SPEAKER_00 (31:55):
You can donate it, right?
There's nothing saying you can'tdonate that.
No, but what they'd be you haveto pay the taxes.
That's what I'm saying.
Maybe the con the charitablecontribution may offset some of
the taxes.
SPEAKER_04 (32:06):
At the end of the year, I mean, who's gonna wait
for that?
Not poor people.
SPEAKER_00 (32:10):
Well, I should I don't have all the answers,
probably.
SPEAKER_02 (32:14):
I don't have any answers.
So uh the only thing I'm gonnatell you right now is uh I think
that's all we had for game showhere at the rabbit hole studio
today.
We appreciate you joining ushere.
And be sure to follow us.
We look forward to spending timewith you each week.
We would love to hear from youif you were on a game show, if
(32:35):
you had anything to do with agame show or what your
experience has been with gameshows.
I find it quite interesting.
Uh, only just don't diss mindpress your luck.
Love that show.
Like us online, and if you havepositive feedback for us, or if
there's a topic you want us totalk about, drop us a short
(32:55):
email at Boomer and Gen X or atgmail.com.
If you have hate mail, where'sthat going, Bobby?
SPEAKER_04 (33:01):
Uh that's going in the game show file of bullshit
that does not happen.
That's exactly right.
So until next week, I'm JaneBurr.
And I'm Bobby Joy, and you'restuck with us.
Peace out later.
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